A hotel in the United Arab Emirates has adopted a groundbreaking and sustainable method to produce drinking water directly from the air — and it’s serving it free to guests, reports Khaleej Times.
The Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel is leading the way in environmental innovation by eliminating its dependence on municipal water, underground sources, or desalination. Instead, it uses an air-to-water generation system that captures humidity from the atmosphere and converts it into clean, mineral-enriched drinking water.
“This water doesn’t come from the sea, the ground, or any utility line — it comes straight from the air,” said Iftikhar Hamdani, Area General Manager of the hotel. “We harvest moisture from the air, purify it using layers of filtration and UV light, and bottle it in sterilised glass containers. The result is fresh, safe, and eco-friendly drinking water.”
The air-to-water machine pulls in humid air, cools it to condense moisture into droplets, and then purifies the water through multiple stages, including UV treatment and mineralisation. Glass bottles are sterilised at 85°C, filled hygienically, and sealed with a shelf life of up to three months. The process is closely monitored and the water quality is tested regularly by local health authorities.
The hotel currently produces 1,000 litres of water per day. On most days, 700 litres is sufficient to meet guest needs, with production scaled up for large events or banquets. Before this system was implemented in January, the hotel used more than 700 plastic water bottles daily.
“Thousands of bottles were going into the trash each month. That’s simply unsustainable,” Hamdani noted. “Switching to glass and creating our own water has made a meaningful impact.”
Hamdani said the initiative is both environmentally responsible and financially sound. The hotel expects to recover the cost of installation within two years, thanks to savings on bottled water purchases and reduced waste management.
Guests have responded positively, with many expressing curiosity about how the water is made. “They’re fascinated when they learn the water came from air. It sparks real conversations about sustainability,” Hamdani added.
Beyond cutting waste, the initiative reflects a broader shift toward sustainable hospitality. “We live in a country where humidity is available most of the year. Why not turn that into clean water?” Hamdani said. “This is just the beginning of what responsible hotels can do.”
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
